I love the idea of using a family name but if you aren't keen then I think the sentiment is lost by trying to adapt James to something else (like Jameson) anyway. So I'd go for James or just one of your own choices.

I know you see it as an imposition but I guess it must make you think of your own mortality when your children have their own children.

Just say no to using father-in-laws middle name. Have you named your little girl after a family member? I have not used any family names when naming my three children as the only grandparent who had a name we liked was my Dad and it seemed a bit unfair to name one child after him and not honour the other grandad at all (by the way my DH's father's names are hideous).

DC2 is due in 6 weeks, we have a girls name sorted but if it is a boy we are a bit stuck. A large part of the problem is that FIL said to DH "if it's a boy would you consider using my middle name of James ?".

DH now wants to use this to honour his Dad, I am utterly pissed off as I think FIL had a bloody cheek and James would NEVER had been on the list. It's not a horrid name, it just never would have been on the list in the same way lots of other names wanted. Plus I don't really like repeating names from within the Family I want the baby to have its own name.

If it turns out to be a boy we are so far agreed his first name will be Monty/Montague/Montgomery, DH has suggested as a compromise to the "James" thing we could use Jameson as a middle name.

Possibly I could cope with this but does it all sound a bit much but with one of those first names? Also it does keep making me think of whisky!

PFB is Poppy Arabella so trying to somehow match something a bit to that.